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Topic Review (Newest First)

09-12-2014 12:53 AM

Nonhog

Quote:

Originally Posted by hduff

Do you have a Grainger part # for those, please?

Yes, but first confirm your pin size. Mine 3 pins had at least 2 different sizes.
The pin I ended up using was my sanded version that was pretty dang close to 12mm. Yours may vary. If yours is 12mm then the part# from Grainger should be o.k. 11Z267. The drill bit I found closest to the O.D. of the bushing was 37/64. Small amount of file/sander work to allow bushings to fit.

My Grainger had caliper handy to measure my pin and we went from there.
If nothing else the part# will speed things up for you.

Hope that helps!

09-11-2014 07:12 PM

hduff

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nonhog

Not so easy finding 12mm I.D. bushings. Grainger was nice and helpful.
Nobody local had them so I ordered through Grainger.

Do you have a Grainger part # for those, please?

09-11-2014 05:14 PM

Nonhog

Got around to adding bushings in mine. Tightened up the upper.
Now to deal with the lower. Had a little fun with it. Was surprised on how it smoothed some nasty hammer marks in some 18G.

Not so easy finding 12mm I.D. bushings. Grainger was nice and helpful.
Nobody local had them so I ordered through Grainger.

Jury is still out.

03-30-2014 12:07 AM

tech69

yeah, I figured that. Seems good for low crowns finessed in the exact spot you need it...too subtle for stretching in the bag, and much more accurate than bending over the knee. I'm considering a HF wheel but can wait...til this coupon is about to expire.

03-29-2014 04:51 PM

John long

Quote:

Originally Posted by tech69

I'm currently using 18 gauge. It seems like it doesn't move metal much. I think it's a great wheel for a tight radius but I didn't feel it do much other than smooth out parts that were already close, but it will certainly smooth out some stretching in the shot bag. I don't have enough experience with anything else to compare but I've seen video and it seems that the bigger wheels do much more at a quicker pace. I do like what it can do when smoothing out after air planishing. Just don't see much in the way of shaping panels with it.

You will find for larger panels with a low crown the E Wheel is all you need but for something like the gas tank or the trunk drop down I am working on the planishing hammer or shot bag will get the rough shape into it so much faster.

I am looking forward to seeing your tank Henry. I hope you will be posting pictures.

John

03-29-2014 12:12 AM

tech69

I'm currently using 18 gauge. It seems like it doesn't move metal much. I think it's a great wheel for a tight radius but I didn't feel it do much other than smooth out parts that were already close, but it will certainly smooth out some stretching in the shot bag. I don't have enough experience with anything else to compare but I've seen video and it seems that the bigger wheels do much more at a quicker pace. I do like what it can do when smoothing out after air planishing. Just don't see much in the way of shaping panels with it.

Anybody else using there's? Love to see more pictures. Need some encouragement right now.

03-02-2014 07:11 PM

Nonhog

tech69, what gauge are you using? Just curious.

03-02-2014 11:43 AM

tech69

definitely not out of the woods yet though. I imagine since this tank doesn't have an all around radius and the radius is generally at the edges, this will make it tough to blend it all in, but will help tons on containing warpage from welding. I think I will weld it to the top middle section first so I can planish it all out and the bottom last cause I can hide the imperfections. It's gonna be tough to tie those pieces together with the middle so I will make a cardboard jig of sorts. Anyhow, this e-wheel kicks major butt!

03-02-2014 11:28 AM

MARTINSR

Very cool!

Brian

03-02-2014 10:07 AM

tech69

messed with the E Wheel yesterday. I feel the small wheels help in tight spaces like this small tank.

It got real shaky when rolling the edges here. Need to make it more stout, but it did the job nonetheless.

still a couple edges I need to soften up a little bit. will have to grind down a dolly a little bit to accomodate that radius at the ends to hammer form it a bit. Just want to get the radius edges nice and it will be good enough to weld to the center piece.

coming together but not out of the woods yet.

02-28-2014 11:22 PM

tech69

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nonhog

tech69, any issues with installing the upper wheel? It says you may need a hammer. No way mine was going to go. I messed it up already and sanded the pin down so it would fit the bearings. Now its so loose its crazy.
(in the frame) fits perfect in the bearings. Something not right.
Pretty unhappy right now.

no, the pin went right in but the arms were super loose and I need a washer to center the upper wheel to the lower die. It definitely has issues as more pressure is applied but it's the same issue as William Longyard was having, the lower die moving. I figure if it can make a bowl that's nearly perfectly symetrical than I can toy around with it for a while and hold off on some improvements, but I definitely want to do what William Longyard did, that was a great idea.

02-28-2014 11:17 PM

tech69

Quote:

Originally Posted by John long

About the only time I know you will use the roundest die is if you have a detail line going through a panel. I don't believe you will want much of a flat spot on it but you might decide to add them to your lower crown dies at some point.

One interesting thing you will find is the flatter wheels will tend to cause the metal to droop (curve) in front of the wheel while the real high crown wheels will tend to make the metal droop to the sides of the wheel. These panels tend to oil can causing them to have a lot of tension. It os also really helpfull to have help on the larger pieces to support the sides to limit the droop.

If you notice the pros do a wash over when they finish a panel which is running the whole panel through the wheel under light pressure to relieve those stresses.

Expecting these things and planning for them helps when you are working on a larger low crown panel.

If it is in your budget, I really found John Glovers videos to be very helpful when I built mine back in 1991. His videos are still out there. He was a metal shaper for Ford Motor Company for years in their design department and is a real artist with the wheel. On one of his videos he makes a model A front fender from scratch including the wire edge on the wheel and then fusion welds it together with O/A. Fascinating viewing.

It is cool to see you guys enjoying this new phase of metal working. Keep the feedback coming.

John

thanks for your advice.

02-28-2014 10:10 PM

Nonhog

tech69, any issues with installing the upper wheel? It says you may need a hammer. No way mine was going to go. I messed it up already and sanded the pin down so it would fit the bearings. Now its so loose its crazy.
(in the frame) fits perfect in the bearings. Something not right.
Pretty unhappy right now.

02-28-2014 09:51 AM

John long

Quote:

Originally Posted by tech69

sweet. I'll do something like that. If I use tack welds it will just scrape in other areas as it's moving up and down. Adding more sounds better. Might plug weld a little piece of metal and shave it down as well. Not in a hurry though, it seems to work good enough for me at the moment. If it can make a bowl very accurately I think I can make a tank for my bike this weekend, or at least get started on it.

One thing I'll say, the roundest die looks pretty useless so far. It looks like it needs a flat spot, but I'm sure there will be a use for it.

Thanks for the link.

About the only time I know you will use the roundest die is if you have a detail line going through a panel. I don't believe you will want much of a flat spot on it but you might decide to add them to your lower crown dies at some point.

One interesting thing you will find is the flatter wheels will tend to cause the metal to droop (curve) in front of the wheel while the real high crown wheels will tend to make the metal droop to the sides of the wheel. These panels tend to oil can causing them to have a lot of tension. It os also really helpfull to have help on the larger pieces to support the sides to limit the droop.

If you notice the pros do a wash over when they finish a panel which is running the whole panel through the wheel under light pressure to relieve those stresses.

Expecting these things and planning for them helps when you are working on a larger low crown panel.

If it is in your budget, I really found John Glovers videos to be very helpful when I built mine back in 1991. His videos are still out there. He was a metal shaper for Ford Motor Company for years in their design department and is a real artist with the wheel. On one of his videos he makes a model A front fender from scratch including the wire edge on the wheel and then fusion welds it together with O/A. Fascinating viewing.

It is cool to see you guys enjoying this new phase of metal working. Keep the feedback coming.

John

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